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K. Kaufmann. 1988. BOOK 5: On the role of the phospholipid membrane in free energy coupling. Caruaru, Brazil.Abstract: The lipid bilayer response to local perturbations is determined from thermodynamic monolayer phase diagrams. Entropy, forces, and fluctuations in the phospholipid monolayers quantitatively describe chemiosmotic coupling, propagating action potentials, and ion channel opening and closing in lipid bilayer membranes. Falsifiable predictions are derived and compared with experimental observations in pure and biological lipid bilayers. Paradoxes in previous one-dimensional membrane theories are resolved. The role of the phospholipid bilayer is therefore to provide the physical mechanism of membrane function.